The Tiger Lily
by ii The Raconteur ii
Summary: Tonight is the last night for The Chipmunks and The Chipettes. While her sisters and friends move on to bigger and better things, Brittany remains lost in life, frightened of what comes next. But while she sleeps, Alvin is hatching a plan to make her life something worth fighting for again...
1. Scene One: Rain

_Author's notice: The following story uses my personal variant of the CGI  
film version of the characters. The living areas and locations are inspired  
by the 2017+ television series.  
This story is part of the "Songs of the Hopeful: The Chipette Story" storyline.  
As always, your reviews are very important to me. I need feedback so I know  
what you think, and how to improve my work. Thank you for your time. :)  
_

* * *

 _ **The Tiger Lily  
**_ An Alvin and the Chipmunks Fanfiction

* * *

 **Scene One**

* * *

A soft purr of thunder rumbled in the throats of faraway rain clouds. The solemn summer moonlight reached through the big decorative window of the Chipette home and played upon the form of Brittany Miller, resting fitfully on her bed. Her covers were kicked away, laying in piles on the floor. Her bright blue eyes glinted with tears in the soft light.

Almost twenty years now.

That's how long her sisters had been together. Since they'd come together in the wilderness, fought tooth and nail against every new challenge they had faced as tiny children, and finally ended up right here, against all odds. Brittany, Jeanette, and Eleanor had done it all together. They were never apart. No problem was too big for these three tiny sisters.

Now, they were moving away.

Jeanette and Eleanor were now Jeanette Seville and Eleanor Seville. For the past few months, Brittany had been working doggedly, designing and planning brand new treehouses for her sisters and their happy husbands, Simon and Theodore Seville. The homes were far away, with Simon and Jeanette bedding down in a peaceful neighborhood near the hospital where Jeanette worked as a nurse alongside her part-time occupations as a substitute teacher and librarian. Simon was a skilled technician, calibrating hospital equipment and aiding Jeanette in her teaching duties, though both were pushing for much grander futures in science and literature.

Meanwhile, Theodore and Eleanor were moving to a bustling part of town to invest in their very own restaurant. While yet to be named, it was good sized European-style building, and the couple already had a few talented workers ready for opening day. Theodore and Eleanor would share duties as co-managers and head chefs. There were already piles of papers in the corner beside the girls' desk listing thousands of recipes to try.

So then, where did Brittany stand?

 _The Chipmunks_ and _The Chipettes_ were unofficially over. The girls had done some work around Hollywood for a while, meeting stars, promoting fashion designs, and even working as temporary judges for American Idol for a season. The boys had returned to strictly local performances under Dave's direction, so that they could finish up their basic education without the hassle of constant travelling.

The six had one more performance to go, a farewell to their incredible fans. Would they ever stop singing and dancing? Would their love of music, parties, and fashion fade? Of course not. But as a group, it was time to move on and secure a bright future for themselves and their eventual children.

Brittany hugged herself. She could feel the calluses on her palms, rough against her nightgown, and her body ached all over from the construction work on her siblings' new homes. Off in the darkness, the chipette could hear the gentle snores of her amazing little sisters, as they rested and dreamed of big things.

However, Brittany felt alone in the dark. Tears soaked her furry cheek and pillow. She would never let them know she cried. Tomorrow, she'd flip her pillow, blame her puffy eyes on a bad dream and play off any noises as snoring. Tonight, though, she could only hug her blankets and sob.

What now? She had never been alone. Brittany was more than smart and responsible enough to handle herself, but that wasn't the point. Her sisters were smiling, happy, with tummies full of warmth and heads full of dreams. So why wasn't she happy? This should be her greatest victory story, pulling them from the danger of the wilderness to the successful people they'd become.

Brittany's stalwart pride had been her greatest strength and her worst downfall. She'd spent so long being competitive and strong and impossible to hold down that now she was unable to see what came next.

Little did the last of the Millers realize, Jeanette and Eleanor knew very well that she was crying, and so did the chipmunk boys next door. As Brittany fell into a fitful sleep, a little plan of action was being put into play to make the chipette's life something worth fighting for again.

* * *

Only a few hundred feet away, Alvin Seville stared at the treehouse through his open bedroom window, his hazel eyes reflecting the same timid moonlight that fell upon Brittany that night.

Yes, Alvin had a plan, as he always did. Unlike the rest of his plans, and, ultimately, the rest of his life, Alvin could not afford to let this one go wrong. The chipmunk was shaking with anticipation and worry. He had very little to offer someone as amazing as Brittany. No real job, no career, not even very much money from the bigtime days.

Alvin did have one thing, however. A tiny object, warm in his hand, reflecting gold into his eyes as he fiddled with it anxiously. Tomorrow would be the beginning of the rest of his life.

And, more importantly, hers.


	2. Scene Two: Morning

**Scene Two**

* * *

Brittany awoke late the next morning, just as the sun had breached the big window of the girls' bedroom. A bird warbled somewhere from above, muffled by the roof. The chipette groggily rolled out of bed, landing on her knees on the covers she had fitfully kicked away during the night. Blinking the sleep from her eyes, she saw that her sisters were already gone.

"Not even inviting me to breakfast, really?" she muttered to herself, standing up and rubbing her face tiredly, "I'll tie your tails together, Jean and Ellie..."

Tossing off her old nightshirt, Brittany donned her favorite robe and trudged downstairs to make herself some morning tea. Jeanette and Eleanor were nowhere to be found. As she reached the bottom of the pretty spiral staircase, however, Brittany saw something that made her pause.

A bright orange flower petal lay on the floor of the little kitchen. It was a good sized thing, as long as her tail and pointed at the tip. Brittany picked it up and turned it over, noticing the stripes of bright yellow and mottled brown, mixed with scatters of dark spots and lines. The whole thing glowed like an ember in the sunlight.

"A...tiger lily?" Brittany whispered. She glanced up, and found that the whole floor of her little home was littered with the big, bright petals, filling the air with a rich woody aroma. "What is this?"

Then she saw it, a little paper note taped to her front door. Approaching it, she saw it was nothing but a smiley face. A small cursive _'A'_ was signed beneath it. Brittany's face scrunched in annoyance.

"Alvin I swear, I am not in the mood to be pranked right now."

"Well good, I wasn't in the pranking mood."

Brittany squealed and whirled around, shoving her back against the door. Alvin was standing at the top of the staircase, peering down at her with a familiar amused look on his face.

"Alvin!" Brittany snapped, clutching her chest, "What are you doing in here, trying to give me a heart attack?"

"Oh yuck, do I have to try mouth to mouth?" Alvin replied with a laugh.

"In your dreams, Seville! Where were you, anyways?"

"Oh, uh, totally not under your bed or anything."

"You were _what_?"

"It's the only time I get to see you quiet."

"Oh you'll get a lot of noise if you don't get outta here so I can shower!" Brittany replied, "We have a very important performance coming up, if you remember."

"Oh a shower, that sounds good to me, Brit." Alvin chuckled.

"Alvinnn..." Brittany peered up at him with one eyebrow raised.

"Relax, I'm kidding. And yeah, I remember the performance." Alvin padded down the staircase with deliberate slowness, aware of Brittany's gaze on him with every step. She looked amusingly delicate in her nighttime robe.

"Tonight's the night," Alvin continued. He sat down on the bottom steps and draped his arms over his knees, staring at the pretty tiled floor. "Our last one."

Brittany's amused glare softened into one of resolute sadness. "Yeah, it is," she said, sitting down against the wall by Alvin's side. She stared at the stained glass of the front double-doors. Brittany had filed each piece of glass down to size by hand before gluing them into place in the wire frame.

"So uh, Alvin, what's with the flowers everywhere?" Brittany changed the subject solemnly, nudging a nearby lily petal with her foot, "They're pretty, but I just cleaned the place, you know. What's the occasion?"

Alvin swallowed. "The occasion? Uh...well...hey, how about some tea, eh? I haven't had a bite all morning!"

Brittany was silent for a moment, then shrugged and got to her feet.

"Sure, why not," she said.

* * *

The two close friends spent the better part of the next hour in the treehouse's pretty kitchen, the smell of warm green tea wafting from a pot on the little stove. Brittany pulled open the oven door, eyeing the grilled cheese sandwiches that sizzled inside. She turned to notice Alvin standing in the corner, fiddling with something in his hoodie pocket.

"You're like, really quiet this morning, Alvin," she observed, "It's not like you. What's up?"

"Is it that much of a surprise?" Alvin laughed.

"You, quiet? It's more like a miracle," Brittany muttered sarcastically.

"Oh _ha ha_ ," Alvin retorted, sticking his tongue out, "Do you need help?"

"No, I've got it," Brittany said, going back to stirring the tea.

"Are you sure? I'm feeling kinda useless over here."

"It's just grilled cheese and tea, Alvin, I'm fine."

"What about in here?" Alvin persisted, opening and peeking into all the cabinets, "Anything you need?"

"No, you snoop!"

"What about- whoops!"

Alvin elbowed a little sack of flour, nearly tipping it off the kitchen counter. He swiftly caught it before it fell, but grabbed it too tightly, sending a puff of white into Brittany's face. Brittany coughed and sneezed as the flour dust spread across the kitchen, shimmering in the early sunlight.

"Oh! I'm sorry, Brit!" Alvin cried, grabbing a handful of paper towels. He wet them under the faucet and handed them to his blinded friend, who immediately began wiping off her eyes and cheeks.

Alvin cringed, waiting for the yelling, chiding, and insults to come pouring down on him. He expected Brittany to throw the flour bag at him, shouting angrily the whole time.

Brittany laughed. Wiping her face clean, she tossed the wadded paper towel at the surprised Alvin and smiled, giving him her best annoyed glare.

"After all these years of putting up with _you?"_ Brittany said, "It'll take more than that to tick me off." After a pause, she added with a little growl, "As long as it was an accident."

"Yeah, yeah! Of course, Brit, I'm not a jerk. It was an accident," Alvin quickly replied, grabbing a duster to sweep up the spilled flour. He hesitated a moment. "You uh, don't think I'm a jerk, right?"

"Oh it's crossed my mind before. Alot."

"But, you know...now?"

"Nah, you're alright."

Alvin laughed, elbowing the chipette in the ribs. "Aw come on! Haven't I upgraded from alright yet? I've got to be up there around 'awesome', or 'amazing,' or-"

"Garlic," Brittany interrupted, swatting his hand away from her side.

"Yeah, garlic! I'm..." Alvin blinked, "Huh? Are you saying I stink?"

"Alvin-"

"I mean come on, Brit! What's a day or three without a bath, huh?"

"Alvin!" Brittany said with a smirk, pointing at the far counter, "Garlic salt, please."

Alvin obediently passed the little plastic jar to his counterpart. "As you requested, _milady_."

"Thank you, _awesome guy,"_ Brittany mocked in reply, sprinkling some of the strong-scented powder onto the grilled cheese sandwiches. Alvin watched as she cautiously pulled the dish from the oven and forked the meal onto little plates. Brittany tossed the hot pan into the sink where it sizzled for a moment. She swept a little flour off of her bangs and sighed.

"Alright, done! You go wait on the sofa, I'll be there in a bit."

"Oh ho, no way," Alvin replied, shoving a bewildered Brittany out of the kitchen, "You made it, so you go sit down, and I'll get it together!"

"Well that's fine, geeze!" Brittany exclaimed, stumbling as she was hustled into the living room, her heels sliding on the tiled floor, "What got into you all of a sudden?"

"Nothing!" Alvin replied, scurrying back into the kitchen, "Just, you know, go put some real clothes on and I'll meet you in there!"

"Real clothes? What's wrong with a robe?" Brittany shouted back.

"Oh trust me, nothing's wrong with it, baby."

"If you call me that again, I'll hang you by your tail from my wind chime, Seville!" Brittany grumbled as she stomped upstairs to her room.

* * *

Alvin stared out the little window over the kitchen sink, watching a dozen faded lavender petals flutter down from the faithful old tree in which the chipettes' home was built. The petals fell in random fluttering spirals, brushing the twisted wire bannisters and oak boards of the facade before a warm breeze blew them away. Slipping a hand into his hoodie pocket, Alvin found the object he had kept as such a secret for so long.

It was a ring.

A tiny ring, for a tiny chipette finger, but it was a ring, nonetheless. As it gleamed in the morning sunlight that streamed through the decorative window, Alvin felt the weight of his coming decision bear down on him. Rarely did the eldest Seville child consider the penalties of his actions, but this time, he was entirely aware.

This little piece of gold could dictate the entire purpose and outcome of his life. It could bond Alvin eternally to whoever accepted it, allowing him to share his future, his home, and even his last name with whoever he deemed special enough to offer it to. After all these years of frantic denial, Alvin had finally made his choice, and he had chosen Brittany.

Now, it was up to her to choose _him_.

Suddenly, this little ring, weighing a bit more than a crumb of bread, felt as heavy as the world itself. A mixture of anxiety, fear, and nausea blossomed in Alvin's chest as the questions took over: What if Brittany denied him? What if she got angry? What if she laughed? Cried? Yelled? Alvin's paw was shaking when Brittany's voice from the stairs snapped him straight out of his brooding silence.

"I'm ready, Alvin! I hope this is _real clothes_ enough for you. Picky little-"

"Oh, uh, yeah!" Alvin stammered back, shoving the ring back into his pocket, "Anything you wear's real enough for me, Brit!"

"Oh...kay, that's a weird way to put it."

"I mean it," he called back, "Jeans, jackets, dresses, birthday suits, you could pull off just about anything."

"Aw, how nice," Brittany scoffed playfully as she poked her head in the doorway, smiling. The smile faded as she blinked, scrunching her brows in thought.

"Uh, Alvin, what was that last-"

"Brit, talking too much, cramping my space, wait in there please!"

Brittany rolled her eyes and smiled again, padding off into the living room to wait on her counterpart. "Fine, fine, just remember who you're dealing with. A hungry lady isn't a happy lady!"

"Huh, _lady_ my right- _..."_

"What was that?"

"I said yes, _milady!"_

When he knew for sure that she was gone, Alvin brought the ring back out and stared at it. How could he offer it to her? When? Maybe he could make it a surprise! That's how Eleanor had done it, after all: hid her ring in Theodore's birthday cake.

Pleased with the idea, Alvin scanned the sunny little kitchen, looking for any options. His gaze passed over the fresh grilled cheese sandwiches. Lifting one of the corners, he stared at the oozing strands of melted cheese with displeasure. Appetizing, yes, but it was no proper place to hide a ring.

Alvin was beginning to panic. He really had no idea how to present the ring to Brittany in a way that wouldn't make him look stupid or indecisive. Flipping through cabinets and drawers, the chipmunk rushed to find anything he could use in the short term to make his proposal memorable.

"Alvin!" Brittany suddenly shouted.

As jittery as he was, Alvin jumped at the sound of Brittany's voice. Slipping on a bit of spilled flour, he quickly grabbed for the table to catch himself.

 _'Plop!'_

The ring had loosed from his hand and fallen right into one of teacups!

"Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap..." Alvin muttered under his breath, peering into the cup. The ring was far too tiny to fish out, and this was all the tea Brittany had made, so he couldn't dump it out!

"Uh, yeah, Brit?"

"Come on, man, what's a girl gotta do to get some food around here?"

" _Marry me, please_..." Alvin whispered pitiably under his breath.

"Huh?"

"Uh, on my way!"

Quietly cursing his lifelong crown of being the clumsiest person around, Alvin put the two pretty teacups onto a big flowery dinner plate alongside the sandwiches and padded out of the kitchen and down the very short hallway to the living room.

* * *

Alvin was met by the sight of Brittany, laying across her little loveseat by a window, watching birds dance through the branches of the tree overhead. She was draped in a thin, flowing sundress, soft pink with violet tulips and yellow daisies decorating it, ending in frilly edges that hung around her knees and shoulders. The orange fur of her body glowed in the warm sunlight, her blue eyes twinkling like frozen lakes beneath a full moon, and the spicy scent of her perfume permeated the homely air.

From the delicately groomed curl of her bangs and the sassy arc of her long ponytail, to the genuine half-smile that rested upon her lips and the bounce of her little foot as it danced along to some song in the back of her head, Alvin realized something. He was never an artistic person, and his romance often never extended past the cheesy one-liners he memorized from internet humor sites, but there was no hiding the truth: there was no one, single reason to love a girl.

"What's that goofy look for?" Brittany asked as she noticed Alvin's arrival. She swung her legs down and sat up, giving the chipmunk room to sit down with her.

Alvin feigned a cough and smiled as he laid the breakfast plate down on a little coffee table. "Oh nothing, nothing," he said, plopping down on the couch beside Brittany. Together they took a corner of grilled cheese each, grinning as they bit into the buttery, crunchy meal and the smooth cheese within.

"What is it with girls making any food amazing?" Alvin quipped as he took another bite.

Brittany wiped a little garlic off of a whisker as she replied, "I don't think I've made anything that wasn't one of Eleanor's little creations."

"She's good," Alvin agreed, adding, "And Theodore's just as good. I can't believe the little guy can put together a whole dinner by himself. And I'm talking plates on the table, keeping everything stirred, the whole bit."

"He wouldn't have to if you'd help him sometime," Brittany teased.

"Uh, Brit, the last time I helped, Dave had to buy a new oven."

"Oh, right, I remember. I could smell the smoke from here."

"And a microwave."

"What, really?"

"And silverware."

"What did you-"

"And bedspread."

Brittany paused with her sandwich halfway to her mouth, perplexed. "How is that even related!?"

"If you were there, you'd understand!" Alvin laughed.

"I doubt being there would help me understand it any better!" Brittany replied, shaking her head and nibbling on her crusts.

"Just take my word for it."

"Yeah, buddy, I've learned my lesson about when you say that," Brittany scoffed, her voice full of sarcasm, "Just take my word for it', he says, 'I know a faster way to school', he says. I sure hope it isn't, you know, infested by a mob of really, really territorial squirrels.'"

"At least your skirt was edible," Alvin quipped, grinning as he nibbled his breakfast, "You have nice legs, by the way." Brittany shoved him over, glaring indignantly.

"It was not edible! At least not as much as your favorite hat was!"

Alvin faked sadness, muttering mournfully, "I'll miss you, precious A-hat. I'll never forget you."

"Oh hush it!" Brittany snickered, "You have a whole closet full of the things."

"None of them were as good as Hatty," Alvin mocked in a sad little voice. Brittany smiled, rolled her eyes and munched down on her crusts, knowing that Alvin would keep the dumb joke rolling if she replied.

Clearing her throat and brushing a few crumbs off her pretty sundress, Brittany motioned towards the coffee table. "Hey, pass the tea over here, please!"

Alvin almost choked on a sandwich crust as he shot a quick glance at the two flowery glasses on the table. Swallowing uneasily, he tried to stall. "Uh, the tea, um...are you sure? I mean, we just made it, and it might still be hot and I really don't want you to, you know, get burned or something bad like that."

Brittany raised an eyebrow, staring quizzically at her friend. "Alvin, we've been talking for like ten minutes, I'm pretty sure it's fine by now."

A burning knot was forming in Alvin's belly and throat. He tried to hide his shaking hands in his hoodie sleeves as he slowly reached for the two cups. The chipmunk suddenly froze as he realized: he had no idea which cup the ring had fallen in!

"Alvin, do you have a fear of tea or something?" Brittany asked half-seriously, "I mean I've seen weirder, but that's, you know, pretty weird."

"No no, I'm fine, really, just a little tired, and you know, full, from that really perfect breakfast and stuff," Alvin stammered.

Trembling, he grabbed up the two cups and sat down again, staring at the pools of dark golden tea. Wispy curls of fragrant steam touched his nose as his gaze switched rapidly from one glass to the other.

Rolling her eyes, Brittany reached out and plucked one of the glasses from the chipmunk before he could stop her. "Listen," she muttered, "If you don't like tea, just warn me next time. We have orange juice and stuff too."

"No, no no!" Alvin spluttered, "I really like it! I just, uh, like to, um...enjoy it, you know."

Brittany smiled and shook her head. Alvin watched as she raised the glass to her lips- and quickly grabbed it away before she could take a sip.

The chipette's brows furrowed with annoyance. "Alvin, what the heck?"

Alvin quickly handed her the other glass, staring nervously at it. "Oh, uh, I think that one had more in it. Just, you know, kind of, wanted you to have it..." His voice trailed off. For the first time, he felt embarrassed for his lack of a proper excuse. Brittany looked down at her tea, then back to Alvin's, raising an eyebrow again.

"Alvin, is there something you need to tell me?" the chipette asked critically.

"No, no, not...really," Alvin murmured, looking away.

"Honest?" Brittany pressed on, "Because if I drink this thing and it turns out you spilled dish detergent in it or something, I think I just might kill you."

"No! No, it's not messed up, I promise."

"Alvin, we have more tea," Brittany continued, "I don't care to make more if you think it's going to hurt me or something...uh, for some reason."

"Brit, I promise, nothing bad is in the tea. Really, I'd never..."

"You know I don't believe you," Brittany interrupted with a laugh, crossing her legs and leaning back into the couch, "So you might as well shut it. Besides, if a little tea makes me flop over dead, at least I'll go out doing my favorite thing."

"Favorite thing?" Alvin asked, "Drinking tea?"

"No, nitwit. Strangling you."

Alvin watched Brittany take a long sip of the tea, and tried to relax. Brittany hummed as the soothing, herbal warmth tickled her throat and blossomed in her belly. She smiled at Alvin and gestured at his cup. "Well go on. It's really good, I used a few of those spices Theodore and Jeanette put together for that fundraiser not too long ago."

Staring into the flowery little ceramic teacup, Alvin breathed a long sigh to ease himself. Surely he'd given her the cup with the ring in it, right? Of course he had. The chipmunk took a draught of the tea, the delightful fragrance causing his whiskers to twitch.

Alvin leaned back on the opposite side of the couch, allowing his bushy tail to lay over Brittany's. "It's really good," he agreed with a grin, raising the cup for another sip.

"And detergent-free, surprisingly," Brittany added, sticking her tongue out cheekily. Alvin returned the gesture with a scrunched face. Brittany puffed out her cheeks and made an exaggerated kissy-face. Alvin stared cross-eyed at his nose and gave a cartoonishly large grin across his stretched lips. Brittany lost the little contest, looking away and giggling in defeat.

"Alright, alright," she teased, "Don't you know your face will stick like that if you keep doing it?"

"Oh whatever, that's just a silly old granny's myth," Alvin said. He paused with his teacup halfway to his mouth. "That's a...that's just a myth, right?"

"Don't worry about it," Brittany quipped, smirking as she took more of her tea, "Hey, do it again. If anything, it would be an improvement."

Alvin pretended to be severely offended, slapping Brittany's footpaw as he took on a terrible English accent. "I do say, m'dear! How very rude, how quaint, how...uh, _boulder dash_ , you...bally awful...jimmy cricket-"

"Keep that up and I swear I'll make you eat that teacup," Brittany swiftly interrupted, shaking her head in disbelief, "I've never met anyone who could ruin such an attractive accent so quickly."

"As if you know any sexy accents yourself," Alvin teased. Brittany gave him her signature low-browed challenging stare.

" _Tête de noix_ ," Brittany murmured, beaming with a cheeky smile as she sipped her tea. Alvin blinked and stared sideways at her.

"Wait, what was that?" he prodded, "Did you call me something? Was that an insult?"

"Nope," Brittany lied with a smirk, closing her eyes and putting her teacup to her lips. Alvin pouted, glaring indignantly.

"Come on, Brit! What'd you call me?"

"Nothing."

"What was that? Spanish?"

"Nope."

"Mexican?"

"Same thing, smart guy...well, kinda."

"Japanese?"

"When would I have ever learned _that?"_

"Canadian?"

"...Okay now you're joking, right?"

Alvin paused a moment. "Uh, yeah, just joking, Brit." Brittany snickered to herself and snuggled deeper into the decorative pillows she laid against.

The morning continued in peace. Branches clattered and swayed overhead and leaves rustled as they scraped against the painted wooden shingles. Alvin and Brittany's playful conversations faded into calm silence. The entrancing aromas of baked cheese, spicy tea, and Brittany's perfume mixed to produce a calming air. Finishing their sandwiches, the lifelong rivals curled up to enjoy the morning sunlight that shone through the stained glass window to warm their backs.

Alvin was so content that he nearly forgot about the ring. The chipmunk stared into his teacup, swishing the golden liquid around nervously. To his relief, the ring was nowhere to be seen. He had chosen the right cup after all. Alvin stared at Brittany as she tipped her teacup, sipping down the last of her tea. Any moment now, she would notice the ring. Trembling, Alvin looked away, gnawing at his furry lip, and waited.

Brittany gave a short, sudden gasp.

Bouncing his foot anxiously, Alvin held his breath. What would she say? Would she accept? Would she hate him for asking? All these questions raced around in his little head as he waited for an answer, staring nervously at the floor. A frantic tugging of his tail snapped him out of his thoughts.

Alvin watched Brittany bounce up and down quietly, waving her arms around. His heart beat in his chest as he struggled to find words.

"I know, I know, it's sudden, b-but..." he stammered, "Brit, I've thought about it for so long...I just feel like it's time now, you know? Gotta take that chance, right?"

Brittany stopped waving her arms and cocked an eyebrow at him, shaking her head, puzzled. She cupped her cheeks and wheezed again, barely making a sound.

"Well come on, Brit, don't leave me hanging," Alvin pleaded, quaking under her confused stare, "Say something already. Please? If it's a no then just, you know, rip it off like a band-aid, real quick, okay? I just need to know! Please! Come on, you know I don't like the silent treatment!"

Brittany abruptly leapt on the chipmunk, shaking him angrily by the neck to jostle him out of his stupor. The frantic chipette pointed repeatedly at her neck, cupped her hands around her throat and held her mouth open, glaring at Alvin until he understood.

"Jeez, what's gotten into you?! Are we playing charades?!" Alvin cried, watching Brittany's peculiar act. She furiously repeated the action as he stared in wonder. "Wait, into you...your neck? What's wrong with..." He gasped. "Choking! Oh jeez, Brit! You're choking! Why didn't you tell me!?"

Alvin was immediately attacked again as Brittany whacked him over the head with a couch pillow and shook him madly by the shoulders. Scrambling out from under the angry chipette, Alvin pulled her off the little sofa and held her by her fluffy cheeks.

"Don't worry, Brit! I've got this! I can fix it!" Alvin assured her. Brittany held her throat and glared critically at him.

"Turn around! I know what to do!" he said. Brittany did as she was instructed. Alvin took up one of the flowery plates and whacked the hapless chipette in the back, sending crumbs and bits of crust flying everywhere. Brittany stumbled, surprised, as Alvin smacked the plastic plate repeatedly against her back and shoulders.

 _Whack! Thunk! Smack!_

"Spit it out, Brit! Out!"

Brittany whirled around and jerked the plate from Alvin's grasp, thwacking him angrily over the head. Alvin held his stinging forehead as the plate rolled across the living room. Bouncing up and down, Brittany grabbed the chipmunk by the neck and shook him again.

"Wh-whoa, h-h-hey! I'm ju-just trying to h-help!" Alvin cried, struggling out of Brittany's grasp. The chipette leapt side to side, wheezing and squeaking angrily and performing all sorts of furious motions with her arms. She suddenly stopped and held her throat, her breaths taking on an alarming rattle as she stared at Alvin pleadingly.

"Alright, alright," Alvin whispered frantically, "What was that trick Jeanette taught us from her medical training? The uh...rind mick? Line rick?" Brittany glared at him as he pondered the name.

Alvin perked up. "Heimlich! That was it! Brit, turn around, I remember it!"

Giving the chipmunk a warning glare, Brittany kicked the fallen plate away just to be sure, and turned around as she was told. Wrapping his arms under hers from behind, Alvin clasped his hands over her stomach.

"Okay, ready?" Alvin asked, "Take as deep a breath as you can, Brit!"

Brittany wheezed angrily at him.

"Oh, right, sorry." Alvin planted his feet and squeezed Brittany hard, bringing his clutched hands inwards and upwards in the same motion.

 _'Hurgh!'_

"Anything?" the chipmunk asked.

Brittany shook her head.

Alvin abruptly squeezed Brittany tight, again and again, lifting the poor chipette off the ground with the force of each frantic hug. Brittany's eyes bugged out as she struggled to cough up the object stuck in her throat.

"Come on, Brit!"

 _'Hurk!'_

"Spit it out!"

 _'Hugh!'_

* * *

The front double doors of the treehouse clicked, and Jeanette Seville entered, yawning deeply and scratching at the neatly groomed bun on her head. The middle chipette adjusted her little black glasses as she turned to enter the living room, oblivious to what she was walking into.

"Good morning, you two!" she called out cheerily, "Sorry to intrude! Me and Simon just needed to borrow the..."

"Come on, Brit!" Alvin continued shouting, squeezing Brittany again, "You can do it!" Poor Brittany's arms flailed as she came off the ground again, her tongue sticking out.

 _'Hurk! Hungh! Hagh!'_

The unwitting Jeanette turned red as a tree-ripened peach as she spun on her heel and scrambled back out the front door. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" she shouted, slamming the double doors behind her, "I'll come back later!"

* * *

Alvin blinked in surprise and turned around just as Jeanette disappeared.

"Jeanette?" he called, "Jean, wait! Jean! Well, she's gone. I think it's just us again, Brit."

Brittany wheezed sadly.

"I know, I know!" Alvin replied, "This is really awkward!"

Brittany wheezed crossly.

"Hey, that's hurtful, don't talk to me like that," Alvin pouted. He laid a hand on Brittany's shoulder, turning the miserable chipette around to face him. "Brit, one more time! I've got this, okay?"

One more try was all they needed. Alvin heaved, squeezing Brittany as hard as he dared. The chipette felt the thing in her throat come loose, and she promptly coughed it out, sending the object skittering across the floor into the corner. Brittany fell to her knees, coughing and gasping for breath as she held her aching ribs.

"Wow," Brittany muttered, pausing to cough again, "I really thought I was a goner!"

"Not with me around, baby," Alvin teased, elbowing Brittany's aching ribs.

Brittany swatted his arm away and glared wryly. "You being here is why I thought I was done for!"

"Aw don't talk like that," Alvin pouted, "Let me enjoy my moment!"

"Alright fine, you enjoy your moment, hero, I'm going to get a broom for you to use to get all the crumbs off my floor since you had the _genius_ idea of hitting me with a plate, Seville," Brittany hissed, brushing a few of the aforementioned crumbs off her sundress.

"Uh, right," Alvin replied, scratching his head sheepishly, "I'll do that."

Brittany picked up her fallen teacup and rubbed her throat gingerly. "Jeeze, what _was_ that, anyways?"

Alvin froze as Brittany squinted around at the shadowy edges of the living room.

"What did you do, leave a teabag in the cup or something?" Brittany continued, scanning around, "Was it a chunk of hard sugar, maybe?"

"Yeah, uh, maybe," Alvin squeaked. His heart felt ready to give out.

"Oh! Here we go!" Brittany exclaimed, bending to pick up the object laying in the corner of the living room. She wiped it on the end of her sundress, wincing. "Ew, gross. What is this? How did this thing end up in my..."

Brittany stopped. Her tiny ceramic teacup fell to the floor and bounced, tottering against its flowery handle.

Alvin could feel his heartbeat in his fingertips. Everything was quiet and motionless in the treehouse, save for the brush of branches across the shingled roof and the flutter of shadows playing across the living room. Alvin heard Brittany take a deep breath. Her posture relaxed, her shoulders slumped, and her tail eased to the floor.

"Alvin," the chipette murmured, still facing the wall away from the chipmunk.

"Y-Yeah...?" Alvin swallowed dryly.

"Let me just...piece it all together," Brittany continued without turning around, "You...sneak into my house at night and hide in my room, just so you can catch me alone and unaware, then you pretend to just want to spend the morning with me. You drop this in my tea, almost choke me to death, beat me with a plate, almost break my little ribs, all because you didn't know how to just...come out and ask me?"

"Y-Y-Yeah..." the chipmunk replied with a pitiful squeak.

Brittany finally turned, and Alvin was shocked at the calm expression on her face. She opened her hand and stared at the ring, the sunlight bouncing off the burnished gold to reflect in her sky-blue eyes.

"You know," she said flatly with a hint of a smile, "I'm not sure what else to expect from the likes of Alvin Seville. I wouldn't expect any less, actually."

Alvin blinked, stunned. "You...what?"

"It's not like I haven't known you for like fifteen years, Alvin," the chipette replied with a smirk, "You never did make anything easy. You never took shortcuts, always doing it your way, always making everything as difficult as possible for literally everyone around you."

Unsure of what to say, Alvin rubbed his shaking hands together anxiously. Brittany sighed, staring at the ring in her palm as she walked past her chipmunk friend and sat down on the couch. He joined her, and the lifelong companions remained quiet for the next few moments.

"Alvin," Brittany said, barely above a whisper.

"Yeah, Brit?"

"Is this really what you want?"

The chipmunk's heart skipped a beat. He still had a chance?

"Yes, yes! I know it is, Brit. I just...really do. I don't know how. I've never been more confused and scared in my life!"

"Scared of me?" Brittany said with another little smile, flipping the ring around with her thumb.

"Scared of what you'd say," Alvin replied quietly.

Brittany hummed, then clasped the ring tightly in her fist. She turned her bright eyes right towards Alvin's and cocked an eyebrow warningly.

"Don't make me regret this, Alvin Seville," the chipette quipped, "Or I'll haunt you. I swear I will."

Alvin's expression brightened and he leaned towards Brittany, touching her wrist. "Does...that mean...?"

"Well, I uh...I'd like to think about it awhile," Brittany smiled, "But maybe." She yelped as Alvin grabbed her up in a hug, squeezing the hapless chipette and rocking back and forth with joy.

"Yes! Yes! I got her!" he exclaimed, laughing aloud and roughing Brittany up in the process.

"Ah! Alvin, ribs! Ribs!" Brittany squeaked. Alvin immediately released the gasping chipette.

"Sorry!" Alvin stepped back, shaking as his heart drummed with exhilaration. "I just never, ever thought you would..."

"Until thirty seconds ago, I never knew it, either," Brittany replied. She suddenly felt dizzy, and moved past Alvin to plop down on the floor and lean against the couch. Alvin cautiously joined her.

Biting her lip in thought, Brittany squeezed the ring in her hand and struggled to rein in her racing emotions. The eldest chipette knew this could be either her grandest adventure or her greatest disaster, and nothing in between. Her gaze lingered on her and Alvin's foot-paws: Brittany's were petite and well-groomed next to the chipmunk's, which were large and rough.

With a calm sigh, Brittany opened her hand and stared at the ring. It was a pretty little thing, solid pale gold with three tiny jewel chips, each a bit wider than the lead in a pencil, set firmly into the surface. The largest was pink, the second purple, and the third green, representing Brittany and her siblings' signature colors. She knew that Simon and Jeanette were the only ones who could have fashioned such a miniature piece. Turning the ring, she saw three more jewel specks in the same order: one red, one blue, one dark green, standing for Alvin and his two brothers.

Clearing his throat, Alvin spoke softly, "They all had a part in it, you know. Simon and Eleanor had to ask a jeweler to teach them what to do, since making something so small is kind of tough."

Brittany smiled faintly. "I see."

"Jeanette got the size right, and did a bit of the engraving. Theodore came up with the idea to use the little gems. He wanted you to have a piece of us all."

"Sweet one, isn't he?"

"Hehe, yeah, he is."

It was then that Brittany noticed another small detail. Jeanette had indeed engraved the ring on the inside of the band. Holding the ring up in the sunlight, Brittany squinted at the impossibly small letters:

 _Brittany Lilian Seville_

"Optimistic fella, weren't you?" Brittany smirked. Her grin faded as she turned to Alvin. "Alvin...did Jeanette write this herself, or did you ask for it?"

"I asked. Actually, I did the whole paper description for the jeweler guy. I've never written so much in my life. Why?"

Brittany was beginning to look troubled. "How...how did you know my name?"

"Your what?" Alvin asked. Brittany held the ring up so he could read the inscription.

"Oh! Uh..." the chipmunk scratched his head, looking sheepish for the umpteenth time that morning, "Well..."

"Well?"

"Remember...how I...kind of...snuck under your bed?" Alvin began uneasily, "Well, it wasn't the first time, and, uh...really boring, and...um..."

"Can you just get to the point so I can beat you with a ladle?" Brittany muttered.

"Well, the last time? I kind of...found your...uh..." Alvin swallowed, and whispered, "Diary..."

Brittany was stiff as a mannequin for the next full minute. Waving a hand in front of her face, Alvin tried to get the expressionless chipette to respond, but she was staring into the distance.

Blinking, the chipette took a long breath and stared firmly into the chipmunk's eyes. "How much?" she asked, trying not to clench her teeth.

"Huh?"

"How much of it did you read, Alvin?" Brittany said with a slight growl.

"Not...much," Alvin replied, "Brit, there's... _a lot_ I don't know about you."

"Yeah, a lot I didn't want you to know," the chipette muttered as her face flushed pink. She stood as if to walk away, but Alvin grabbed her wrist.

"No, Brit, it's okay!" Alvin insisted. He tugged at Brittany's arm until the chipette sat back down by his side, giving him a cautioning glare. He continued carefully, "Brittany, you're amazing. You've been hall monitor, class president, principal's assistant, stage director, and more, and that's just when I've known you! I never cared. I always thought you were just, you know...trying to be better than me."

"Trying?" Brittany said with a smirk.

Alvin stuck his tongue out. "Yeah, trying too hard. But that wasn't true." The chipmunk paused.

"Brittany," he whispered, "That journey you made...all you did to get here? That was insane. I can't believe anyone would go that far. I...can't believe you and your...uh, sisters, managed all that. I mean, from Australia?! That's the bottom of the world, Brit!"

Brittany remained quiet, studying the falling expression on Alvin's face. She noticed tears welling in beneath his bright hazel eyes.

"I..." he whispered, "I can't believe you're alive. I almost never met you." Alvin turned away and quickly swiped a stray tear from his cheek, embarrassed.

He sniffled once, then added, "I was almost alone."

Alvin was clearly fighting not to cry. Doing the only thing she could think of, Brittany pulled the chipmunk into the first real hug she had ever given him. Alvin tensed as she embraced him against her soft form and the silky touch of her sundress. Slowly, he relaxed and returned the hug. The two close friends held each other dearly for a few moments, silent, though their actions spoke loudly.

And so the two longtime friends sat together on the living room floor. Morning drifted lazily into early noon. True to the typicality of summertime, puffy blue rainclouds shaded the world beneath, seeming to appear from nowhere. Fat, warm raindrops plopped against the tiled roof with a series of calming, muted thumps as the tree which held the little home swayed gently in the sweet scented breeze. Somewhere in the distance was the soft purr of thunder.

Brittany finally eased out of the hug, quickly climbing up onto the couch to hide her blushing. She cleared her throat and looked away from Alvin. "It wasn't that bad, you know," the chipette said, "It wasn't like I was alone or anything."

Alvin climbed up to sit beside her. "Brittany," he said, "One day I want to know the whole story. I want to know you, okay?"

"Alright, fine," Brittany replied. Softening her tone, she gave the chipmunk a sideways smile. "I would like that."

"So," Alvin started, shuffling closer to Brittany to elbow her gently on the arm, "You're not mad?"

"I wouldn't say I'm _not_ mad," Brittany said as she elbowed him back, "I'll drop it, but no more snooping!"

Alvin held his hands up and bowed his head. "Okay, okay! Deal. Now, uh, what about that?" The chipmunk pointed to Brittany's closed hand.

The chipette opened her small fingers and stared at the tiny ring in her palm. It twinkled in the blue hue of the thin storm clouds that shine through the window to her back. The sight of the little gold object filled Brittany with a string of confusing, unpleasant emotions, from apprehension and anxiety to plain fear. Thoughts whipped through her mind like the scenes of a VHS movie on rewind, memories of all the times she'd been mad at Alvin, all the times he'd stood up for her, or let her down, or made her everyday life a wreck. Brittany could feel her heart pounding in her ears as she sought an answer.

A soft, playful chime echoed through the treehouse over the pitter-patter of rain. It was a miniature grandfather clock announcing the arrival of late noon. Brittany arched her back to check the time.

"We need to get ready," the chipette said, hopping down from the couch.

"Brittany, you didn't answer," Alvin called, "At least, not for sure." Brittany froze halfway to the stairs.

"Promise you won't hate me?" she asked, turning to face him.

"I promise I'll think about it," Alvin quipped.

"Listen, Alvin," Brittany murmured, sauntering up to the chipmunk to grab him by the hood of his hoodie, "Let's get ready for the show. Let's send _The Chipmunks_ and _The Chipettes_ out with some flare. And then..."

"Then?" Alvin asked, a bit confused as Brittany started dragging him towards the front doors. The chipette opened one of the stained glass doors and gave the chipmunk a smile.

"Then I'll have your answer," Brittany whispered, "I promise." She ushered the bemused Alvin out into the sprinkling rain and closed the door behind him before the chipmunk could protest.

* * *

Brittany turned and leaned her back against the door. Her heart was thumping, and suddenly her legs began to shake. Slowly, the chipette slid down until she was sitting against the front door, holding her head in her hands.

"Is this really happening?" she whispered to herself, feeling dizzy. She opened her palm once more and stared at the ring. Part of her wanted to slide it on her finger right then and there and be done with it. Another part of her wanted to throw it as hard as she could, as far as she could, and never see it again.

 _Marry Alvin?_ Was she insane? Or was this some kind of stress-induced wild dream? She had already said yes to him...sort of. But the very idea of bonding her life to her crazy, immature, arrogant nutcase of a counterpart frightened her. Strange as it was, Brittany knew that Alvin was her best friend.

But...a husband? Mate? Lover? Even...father?

Brittany felt sick. She shakily stood to her feet and made her way to the spiral staircase, nudging past a few of the bright orange tiger-lily petals Alvin had sprinkled around the floor. Making her way up to the bathroom, the chipette closed the door behind her.

The chipette could feel the trembles of anxiety coursing through her little body, but she had no idea where they were coming from or why. With a deep breath, Brittany gritted her teeth. Walking over to the tiny bathroom mirror- a tapered silver oval with sunflowers at the top and bottom- she stared intently at her reflection. Brittany's own clear blue eyes stared back at her. She could see her hair ruffled, and her sundress was wrinkled. Hooking a finger in her hairband, she tugged it away and dropped it to the floor, letting her long sunny-brown ponytail fall free, an image that was extremely rare even for herself.

Brittany blinked a few stray tears from her eyes and sniffed. She angrily wiped her arm across her face. She was better than this! She was a big girl- at least, figuratively- and she could make her own life decisions.

But a thought gnawed at her: what would her daddy have thought of Alvin? Brittany's faintest memories recalled him being a wild, troublesome chipmunk, not too different from Alvin himself. Maybe that was why Brittany had always admired and tolerated Alvin as much as she had. He was the same carefree, rebellious soul her father had been so long ago, in her most faded memories of old.

Leaving her hair down in a mess of orange-brown, Brittany turned away from the mirror and swung the bathroom door open to leave. She padded quietly across the smooth tiles of the second floor, and leaned over the curved banister of the small balcony that overlooked the spiral staircase and entrance hall to the treehouse. Staring at the stained-glass double door, Brittany watched the fat raindrops sliding slowly down over the wire frame of the colored glass.

The eldest chipette took a deep breath, and let out a loud sigh of resolution. Yes, her father would have approved. Yes, Alvin was an irreparable nutcase with a craving for trouble, but yes, he was also a golden-hearted friend, shoulder, and reinforcement whenever Brittany had needed it. Yes, this could be the next step.

Brittany knew her answer now.


	3. Scene Three: Home

**Scene Three**

* * *

Alvin had remained on the large balcony in front of the treehouse, speechless but optimistic. He stood there, wondering if Brittany might pop out the door at any moment. Instead, he was suddenly hit square on the head by a plump, warm raindrop that dripped from the branches overhead.

Alvin scurried to the side of the façade where a long zip line had been strung from the chipettes' roof to the Seville home, right over the window of the chipmunks' bedroom. He swung neatly down to the windowsill and hopped into the bedroom.

There were three small beds laid against a custom brick wall, each bed color-coded to the chipmunk that owned it. Alvin was surprised to find Theodore and Eleanor sitting on Theodore's green bed, reading out the long list of planned events for the night's performance. Jeanette was standing by a hand mirror laid against the wall, trying on a selection of stage outfits, while Simon was fiddling with what looked like long twigs on a metal tray.

"Oh hello, Alvin," Simon said, adjusting his glasses as he looked up from his work, "We were beginning to wonder where you and Brittany were."

"Or, you know, that she'd murdered you already," Eleanor added with mock seriousness.

"No, no, we're cool! Everything's just fine," Alvin said. To change the subject, he knelt by Simon's work tray and picked up one of the long twig-like objects. "What are these things, Si?"

"Oh, just a little festive surprise I've cooked up in the last few hours," Simon grinned smartly. He was wearing his stage outfit as well, and as Alvin watched, the middle chipmunk took one of the twigs and slid it into the back of his shirt, adjusting something hidden in the shoulder.

Simon reached just behind his neck and whipped out the twig, which burst into a spray of color-changing sparks that sizzled down the tip of the sparkler.

"Wa lah!" he smiled proudly, extinguishing the sparkler in the corner of the tray, "That should dazzle the crowd, right?"

"Catching yourself on fire is a crazy way of dazzling somebody, Simon," Alvin said with his usual coy grin.

"I'm not catching myself on fire for anyone, Alvin," Simon muttered.

Alvin raised an eyebrow and pointed at his brother's smoking footpaw. With a squeak of surprise, Simon leapt about, batting at his foot with his fallen hoodie. He dashed off to the bathroom sink with a long, comical squeal, leaving a wispy trail of smoke behind him.

 _"Waaaaaah!"_

Alvin was beside himself with laughter. He held his sides and called out after Simon, "Si, come back! We need a comedy act, you were doing so good!"

"Alvin," Jeanette scolded, hiding a smile, "If you're done catching my husband on fire, would you come help me button this thing?"

"Oh sure, Jeanette," Alvin replied. He helped the tall chipette into a sparkling lavender vest and a decorative tie, which was fastened to the vest at her midriff to avoid tripping during dance. She retreated into a shoebox serving as a changing room, and came back out to reveal a frilly silver skirt with red, blue, and green stars. The clip that held up her bun was shaped like a shooting star.

"What do you think?" Jeanette asked, somewhat shy.

Alvin clapped his hands once and did an exaggerated bow. "Pretty as ever, milady." Jeanette hid a blush by turning away, pretending to study herself in a mirror.

"Hey Alvin," Theodore called from the bed above, "We have this neat plan for our outfits. Instead of matching up like usual, we decided on going totally different on everything! You know, make us each stand out as us!"

"Are you going as a teddy bear?" Alvin snickered.

"I'm not a teddy bear!" Theodore chuckled back.

"Yeah, Alvin," Eleanor joked, "Lay off my Teddy!"

"I guess you're being one of those Troll toys, Ellie?" Alvin teased. He dodged a colored pencil that came flipping at his head, which bounced off the carpet and struck an unfortunate Jeanette on the bottom.

"Ow!" The middle chipette stumbled a moment, then pushed up her glasses and gave Eleanor a cold glare. Eleanor smiled sheepishly and shrugged, pointing at Alvin. Alvin made a face and pointed back at Eleanor.

"He did it!"

"She did it!"

"He started it!"

Jeanette rubbed her flank and went back to her fashion adjustments, muttering under her breath but hiding another smile. She was well seasoned in the mischief of her little family.

"Sooooo," Theodore began, poking his head over the edge of the bed to look at Alvin, "How did it go?"

Alvin swallowed nervously.

"Yeah, Alvin," Eleanor said, glancing at the open window, "Where is Brittany?"

"Oh, uh..." the oldest chipmunk stuttered, "Brittany? Well, uh, she..."

"No way," Theodore gasped, "Did she say no?"

"Well, no, not exactly," Alvin mumbled, "I don't _think_ so."

"You don't know?" Simon asked, overhearing the conversation as he returned to the bedroom. There was a strip of toilet tissue wrapped around his burnt paw. Jeanette dropped what she was doing and went to nurse her mate's minor wound. Simon sat down to let her, and continued, "How can you not know if you're engaged or not? Did she say yes, or did she say no?"

"Kind of. I don't know," Alvin muttered, "Something in between, I guess?"

"In between?!" Eleanor snapped, "You ask her to marry you and she gives you a _maybe_? I'll take a slipper to that girl's-"

"Whoa, whoa!" Alvin interrupted quickly, with a hint of a smile, "As much as I'd...absolutely, positively _love_ to see that, it's fine! She didn't turn me down, I guess she...just..." He averted his eyes, before turning his gaze to the tree outside the window. "I guess she just needs some time to think."

"Yeah!" Theodore chimed, always the optimist, "That's all."

"Well we have a show tonight, so she better kick that thinking into high gear," Eleanor muttered, scribbling something onto the performance notes, "Or I might end up kicking her flippin'-"

"Ellie!" all four other chipmunks shouted at once.

Alvin chuckled, and looked back at the pink and purple flowers of the tree outside, where, somewhere above, Brittany was pondering the most important proposal he could ever offer her.

He dearly wished that he knew her answer.

Unknown to him, of course, she had already decided.

Brittany hadn't left the bathroom all through noon, and her sisters were busy trying to persuade the chipette to come with them.

"Brittany, it's almost time to leave!" Eleanor said, knocking at the bathroom door, "What's wrong with you, anyways?"

Jeanette gave Eleanor a warning glare, cautioning her not to mention Alvin. "Brittany," the middle chipette said, "Whatever it is, you can tell us!"

"I don't need to, everything's fine," came Brittany's response. Jeanette and Eleanor looked at each other skeptically.

"Girl, you don't sit in a bathroom for like two hours and not have _something_ wrong with you," Eleanor muttered. She was thoughtful for a moment, then looked up at Jeanette and winked.

"Brit, are you stage sick or something?" Jeanette asked.

"Stage sick? Me?" Brittany muttered.

"Do you have the nervous toots?" Eleanor asked with a giggle.

"What!? No I do not, rude!" Brittany snapped, slapping the door from the other side.

"Brit, it's fine! We had to quarantine the boys in their room that one time before the gig in Vegas, remember?" Eleanor teased, laughing.

Jeanette buried her face in her hands and whined, embarrassed.

"I do not have the toots, Ellie!" Brittany shouted.

"Well it's not like you're pregnant or anything!" Eleanor called back. She paused, then exaggerated a shocked gasp. "Oh my god, you're pregnant, aren't you!?"

"What the heck, no!" Brittany snapped, flustered.

"What's his name?" Ellie joked, "Oh, oh! I hope it's twins! No, triplets!"

"Girl, I will come out of this bathroom and beat some sense into you with the biggest hairbrush I can find, I swear!" Brittany shot back.

"Eleanor, leave her alone," Jeanette scolded. She grabbed Ellie by ear and dragged her little sister to the nearby bedroom. Eleanor bounced on one foot and protested the whole way, but Jeanette pushed her into the bedroom and shut the door before the little chipette could say more.

"Brittany," Jeanette asked, padding up to the bathroom door again to knock gently on the frame, "You there?"

"It's a single tiny room with one door, Jeanette," Brittany replied with heavy sarcasm, "So, yeah, I'm right here. If you say something about me being pregnant, I'll tie you and Ellie's tails together!"

"Ouch, no, not again!" Jeanette chuckled. She leaned against the door frame and scraped her bare footpaws over the tiled floor. "It's just me. Be honest, do you need anything? It's time to go."

"No, Jean," Brittany replied, softening her tone, "I'm fine, I promise. I have my own ride. You go on."

"You...have a ride?" Jeanette asked, confused. "Well, alright then. But, promise we'll see you there?"

"Of course!" Brittany assured her, "When have I ever let you down?"

"Uhhh..."

"Don't answer that."

Brittany was quiet for a moment. Jeanette heard a little bit of shuffling before her big sister added, "Jean, do me a favor. Find all those lily petals laying all over the floor and leave them in the bedroom, okay?"

"What?" Jeanette blinked, "Uh, sure. What's with the lily petals, anyways?"

"Never mind that," Brittany replied softly, "I'll see you there, Jeanette, I promise."

"Promise that you're okay?" Jeanette asked sternly.

"I promise! Now go get ready, we can't keep our admirers waiting, can we?"

"We never do! Never have," Jeanette replied. She started towards the bedroom to join Eleanor to pack her things, but the tall chipette hesitated. Jeanette turned and tapped on the door.

"He's a good choice, you know," she whispered.

Unknown to her, Brittany smiled. "I know," she replied.


	4. Scene Four: Lights

**Scene Four**

* * *

The performance hall was alive with cheer. Almost a thousand people from the city and beyond had shown up to witness the last show of The Chipmunks and The Chipettes. A mix of modern and pop music rang energetically from speakers throughout the building, from the auditorium to the showrooms.

David Seville, the adopted human father of the chipmunk boys, was busy in one room alongside his longtime friend, Claire, selling a variety of merchandise from soundtracks to key chains in the shape of different chipmunks or chipettes. There were even outfits available, inspired by the miniature designs put together for the girls.

In another room, there were the chipmunks and chipettes themselves, signing autographs for an overwhelming crowd of longtime fans.

"If this keeps up, I'm going to be tired out by the time the show starts," Jeanette joked, scrawling her signature on a wall poster with a glittering purple marker.

Simon waved at a young man as he walked away with an autographed baseball cap.

"I swear," the chipmunk muttered, "If one more person asks me to sign his forehead, I'm shoving this marker up his nose."

Alvin laughed and blew a kiss at a group of high school girls, who crooned and giggled as they strode away.

"Oh don't worry, Si," Alvin joked, elbowing his brother's ribs, "You just attract a very particular audience, that's all."

"And what audience would that be, Alvin?"

"Nerdy middle-aged men!"

Alvin ducked as Simon swung his marker at him.

"I'd like to see you perform with a big moustache drawn all over your face!" Simon threatened.

"Who're you kidding?" Alvin quipped, "Chicks dig body hair, bro!"

"Alvin," Eleanor said flatly, "We're nothing but body hair."

"Oh right."

"Alvin, Alvin!" a group of excited young girls shouted as they ran up to the autograph booth, almost knocking all five chipmunks over.

"Yes, miladies?" Alvin said, crossing his arms and giving them his typical wide grin. He was taken aback as he realized all three had their hair dyed totally pink, pulled back in a single ponytail.

"We were just wondering," one of the girls continued, "Where's Brittany at? We've been dying to meet her!"

Alvin's grin faded. "You mean you haven't seen her around yet?"

"No! We were hoping she'd be over here with you guys."

Alvin looked at Simon, but his middle brother could only shrug. Theodore glanced worriedly from beside Eleanor.

"Well, uh, sorry girls, but..." Alvin started.

"Oh no! She isn't sick or something on the big night, is she?" one of the girls asked.

"No, no, she's fine, she's just...you know, getting ready," Alvin offered, "Girl stuff I guess."

"Aw, well okay," the girl replied disappointedly, "Come on, let's go find a seat..."

"I'm getting worried," Jeanette whispered to Alvin over the noise of the crowd as she smiled and signed the cover of a soundtrack, "She wouldn't tell me what was wrong. Are you sure everything went okay this morning?"

"Yes! At least, I think it did," Alvin replied, "She didn't seem upset or anything. Maybe just confused?"

"You've been at each other's throats all this time," Jeanette added, "Maybe she's just getting her thoughts together, that's all."

"Well how long does it take a girl to do that?" Alvin muttered, "We go on in like half an hour!"

"It can take us a while," Jeanette snickered, "I almost keeled over when Simon proposed to me. I thought my heart gave out."

Alvin glanced at the pretty silver and gold ring on Jeanette's hand.

"Encouraging," he muttered.

"Alright, everyone!" a voice called out over the intercom, "It's time for our little stars to go get ready for the show! There'll be plenty of time for autographs when we're done, so grab a seat and let's get this part started!"

There was a good deal of cheering and waving at the chipmunks as the crowd turned on their heels and rushed out to the hall towards the auditorium. Before the group could wonder who had given the announcement, a huge mascot in the shape of Alvin approached the booth. All five chipmunks stared skeptically up at the comically huge googly eyes that stared this way and that. The mascot uniform looked pretty much homemade.

"I'm sorry, is uh...is that supposed to be...me?" Alvin snickered.

"Well of course it is!" the man in the suit replied, "Unless you tell me where to find the other dancing chipmunks, then I'll be on my way."

Theodore slapped his palm against his face. "Oh no..."

"Uncle Ian!?" the other four exclaimed.

The man reached up to fitfully tug the giant Alvin head off of his costume. It was indeed Ian, the old somewhat-enemy of the chipmunks, and ironically the cause of both the Chipmunks' and the Chipettes' rise to fame.

"Of course it's me!" Ian exclaimed, wiping a stray bit of stuffing off his bald head and adjusting his square-rimmed glasses, "You didn't think I'd miss the finale of my favorite boys and girls, did you?"

Alvin crossed his arms. "Alright, what is it with you and big ugly critter costumes? Weren't you some kind of naked mutant pelican last time?"

"Ugly?" Ian chided, "I made this myself!"

"We see that," Jeanette muttered.

"Speaking of favorites," Ian continued, ignoring the chipette, "Where's the awesome one in the pink?"

"Brittany," Eleanor grumbled.

"Yeah! That one."

"Well, uh," Alvin blurted out, "I kind of tried to...propose to her this morning, and I'm not sure where she is now."

"Oh, that's right!" Ian replied flatly, "I remember Dave mentioning you guys and gals were getting hitched! Big ouch, though, huh, Alvin? Got rejected pretty hard?"

"She did not reject me!" Alvin snapped, shaking his small fists.

"So I guess she's just not here on one of the biggest nights of your lives because she just didn't feel like it?" Ian said with a dripping sarcasm, shaking his head. "Don't worry buddy, I've been there, like, four times."

"Gee, I wonder why," Alvin muttered, hopping off the table to the carpeted floor. "Come on guys," he called to his brothers and friends, "We've got a show to do. With or without Brittany..."

"Cheers to you all!" Ian shouted, waving goodbye with his goofy, large costumed hands as the chipmunks rounded the hall.

* * *

The concert hall was thrumming with energy. Stage lights flashed, strobed, and swept over the crowd as they hustled for their seats. As the final preparations for the show continued, the beat of music continued in the background.

 _"We have arrived  
Let the party begin  
Throw your hands in the air (air)  
And everybody sing (everybody sing)  
Oh, oh, oh  
Oh, oh, oh  
Oh, oh, oh (let's get it started)_

 _The night is so young_  
 _Keep the party going now_  
 _Throw your hands way up high_  
 _DJ turn the music loud_  
 _Oh, oh, oh_  
 _Oh, oh, oh_  
 _Oh, oh, oh (and keep it going now)..."_

* * *

Alvin sat shirtless backstage, staring at the red hoodie in his hands. It was a special one Brittany had designed for him a long time ago, with dark red tiger patterns and a stylized golden letter A on the chest. She had gifted it to him after he apologized and for one of the worst mistakes he'd ever made, one that jeopardized their entire friendship. Alvin and Brittany had kissed that night. Alvin had never forgotten that. He squeezed the custom tailored hoodie tightly, gritting his teeth.

"Hey Alvin, are you alright?" Simon asked as he pushed an arm through the sleeve of his stage shirt. He could tell by the look on his older brother's face that he was in distress.

"Of course I'm not," Alvin replied bitterly, laying the hoodie aside so he could flop onto his back. "What did I do wrong, Si? I thought I had her!"

"Alvin, I'm sure she's fine," Simon replied, fiddling with a sparkler, "Brittany is just a...let's say, complicated character, sometimes. You know I've been friends with Jeanette ever since we met, and now that we're married, I still manage to learn more about her every day."

"Oh, great, _learning,"_ Alvin muttered, staring forlornly at a flickering lightbulb overhead, "My specialty. Why can't something just go smoothly for me, just once?"

Simon laughed, slate-blue eyes twinkling behind his glasses. "Nothing good ever comes without a fight."

"Yuck, man, I've heard that so many times!" Alvin grumbled.

"Then maybe it's true, you know?" Simon replied smartly. Just as he finished adjusting the sparklers on his back, a door behind him swung open. David Seville, the adopted human father of the chipmunk boys, smiled and waved at them as Theodore, Eleanor, and Jeanette came scurrying around his feet.

Dave was a little past middle age now, with a bit more weight on his belly and a few tinges of silver through his thinning black hair. The kindness of his dark eyes had never faded, neither had his love for all six chipmunks, plus his toleration of their everyday antics.

"Hey, guys! All ready for the show?" Dave asked, striding over to sit next to Alvin. Alvin was tossed off the cushion as the squeaky old springs bounced under the man's weight, but Dave caught him in midair.

"Oh, whoops," he said, setting the chipmunk down, "Sorry, Alvin."

"It's fine, Dave," Alvin muttered as he slipped into the custom-made hoodie.

"So," David began, noticing the crestfallen demeanor of his adopted son, "How did it go?"

Alvin sighed as he stared a pile of confetti cans. "I don't even know. It's been all day and we haven't heard from Brittany since the treehouse."

"We were kind of hoping she'd be coming along with you, Dave," Theodore murmured.

"You mean she's not here?" David asked, surprised, as he started to stand, "Is she alright? Can she make it here on her own?"

"I don't even know," Alvin said miserably, "I guess I freaked her out so bad with...the question, that she doesn't even want to show up. I'm always wrecking everything for everybody. I'm sorry!"

"Did Alvin just apologize?" Eleanor whispered. Jeanette elbowed her.

"Alvin, come now," Dave said gently, laying his hand on the eldest chipmunk's back, "After all these years, do you think Brittany would let everyone down over something like that? Even if she said no to you, that's okay. You're both wonderful people and I'll always love you both." He motioned to the four watching chipmunks. " _We_ will always love you both, and you'll always be friends, no matter what. Isn't that right?"

"That's right," Theodore and Jeanette said in unison.

"Well said, I agree." Simon said.

"Will do," Eleanor said with a smile.

Alvin blinked back a few tears and smiled as his brothers and lifelong friends. He was looking down at a group of talented singers and performers, but they were more than that. They were cooks, bookworms, inventors, tailors, and writers. They were playmates, neighbors, friends, and family. All this, and none of them were much larger than a sneaker.

"What do you say we make our last big night a good one?" Dave asked.

Turning, Alvin smiled up at his adopted human father. Hopping onto the man's collar, the chipmunk hugged Dave's neck as best he could.

"Thanks for getting us here, Dad," Alvin whispered. Simon, Theodore, Jeanette, and Eleanor all hopped onto Dave at once, nearly knocking him over.

"Yeah, thank you, Dave!"

"Thanks, Dave!"

"Thank you so much!"

"You're pulling out my beard!" David choked.

"I have longer hairs than this on my tail, old man!" Alvin teased, plucking a little black strand from Dave's chin.

"Ow!"

"Well isn't this as heartwarming as day-old chicken noodle?" Ian strode in, still wearing his awful attempt at a chipmunk costume, holding the mascot head under one arm. One of the mask's googly eyes had fallen off.

"Ian!" everyone exclaimed at once.

Ian held up one fluffy-gloved hand and smirked. "I guess that's just a thing now, right? I walk in, everyone shouts my name. I kind of like it, makes me feel important!"

"Please tell me you're wearing something under that suit this time," Dave muttered.

"So, boys and girls, you've got five till showtime!" Ian exclaimed, "Is everybody ready?"

"Who let this guy back stage?" Simon called out.

"I work here!" Ian protested.

"Right, right," Alvin teased as he fetched himself and his group some little paper cups from the water cooler, "What is it? Janitor?"

"Lightbulb replacement professional, if you must know!" Ian pouted, pointing to one hanging bulb that had burnt out to an ashen gray. He seemed surprised when Alvin offered him a cup of water, as well.

"That's a thing?" Eleanor asked quizzically, sipping her water.

"It's absolutely not a thing," Simon muttered.

"It is too a thing!" Ian defended, "Besides, it's too bad Dave's making you end this whole super-star shindig. If you ever want a bit of the limelight again, just come on back to Uncle Ian. There's a dozen execs back at Jett Records who would love-"

"Screw you!" Jeanette snapped.

Everyone at once did a spit-take, bursting into fits of laughter as they stared bewildered at the middle chipette.

"You tell him, Jeanette!" Eleanor giggled.

"Theodore, you spit water all over me!"

"Sorry, Simon!"

Pouting, Ian folded his arms, muttering, "Well alright then."

"Chipmunks to the stage; repeat, prep is ready, Chipmunks to the stage," an intercom blared out a scratchy voice. Alvin turned to Ian and threw his hands up angrily.

"I thought you said we were on in five!" he shouted.

"Five New York minutes!" Ian defended.

The chipmunks scrambled to throw on their outfits while Jeanette and Eleanor helped as best they could. When they were well prepared, Jeanette gave her husband Simon a quick kiss for luck. Eleanor did the same to Theodore, hearts fluttering as their furry lips met. Simon and Theodore blushed a little, but smiled and nodded as they headed for the door.

Alvin had noticed the little exchange of love. A hollow pain filled his chest as he started to follow his brothers. Noticing the blank, dejected look on the eldest chipmunk's face, Jeanette and Eleanor winked at one another. At once they sprung forward and nabbed Alvin by the arms. The two sisters planted two kisses on both of the surprised chipmunk's cheeks.

"Good luck, Alvin." Jeanette smiled.

"Remind them why they love us," Eleanor added, giving Alvin a tap on the shoulder with her fist, "Why we love you all."

Eyes brimming with tears, Alvin smiled and nodded, turning to scurry after his brothers. Throwing their arms around one another, Alvin, Simon, and Theodore Seville entered the spotlight. As the three small boys rushed out onto the stage, Dave Seville waved them off. He was proud as could be.

* * *

The crowd screamed, throwing their hands in the air as colored lights slashed through the darkness and pop music thundered from the surrounding speakers. All at once the stage came alive. Letters flashed on the background screens: a red A, blue S, and green T in quick repeating succession.

Alvin's comically wild laugh echoed through the theatre as three pedestals rose from the stage floor. Spinning nimbly in the air, the three brothers landed on the center column side by side. The spotlights swung in to reveal Alvin in his striped custom hoodie, Simon in a silver suit, and Theodore in a plaid vest with gold buttons. It was Alvin who began the verse.

 _"I may run and hide  
When you're screamin' my name, alright?  
But let me tell you now,  
There are prices to fame, alright?  
All of our time spent in flashes of light!_

The brothers joined hands in a circle, dancing until they reached a good speed. Simon and Alvin skillfully tossed Theodore over to his pedestal, then Alvin twirled with Simon until he could throw his middle brother to the other. They seamlessly joined Alvin in singing:

 _"All you people can't you see, can't you see,  
How your love's affecting our reality?  
Every time we're down,  
You can make it right,  
And that makes you larger than life!_

 _Looking at the crowd,_  
 _And I see your body sway, c'mon._  
 _Wishin' I could thank you in a different way, c'mon._  
 _'Cause all of your time spent keeps us alive_

 _All you people can't you see, can't you see,  
How your love's affecting our reality?  
Every time we're down,  
You can make it right,  
And that makes you larger than life!_

 _All of your time spent keeps us alive!_

 _All you people can't you see, can't you see,  
How your love's affecting our reality?  
Every time we're down,  
You can make it right,  
And that makes you larger than life!_

 _Yeah, every time we're down  
Yeah, you can make it right  
Yeah, and that's what makes you larger than life!"_

The initials of each chipmunk's name flashed brightly on the wall behind them as the song swung to a close. Alvin, Simon, and Theodore hopped to the center front of the stage, waving and blowing kisses at their cheering fans.

Before they turned to exit the stage, Alvin noticed the group of teen girls that had approached him earlier to ask him about Brittany. They were up front, cheering and giggling with the rest of the crowd. Swallowing a sudden feeling of anxiety, Alvin forced another smile as he waved at them and walked away.

* * *

Jeanette and Eleanor jumped on Simon and Theodore as they entered backstage, closing the door behind them to muffle the shouting of their fans. Hugging her husband and giggling, Eleanor gave the Chipmunks her congratulations.

"Good as ever, guys!" she exclaimed, "Still got it!"

"Never mind that," Alvin said worriedly, not intending to be rude, "Is Brittany here? Has anyone heard from her?"

"No, Alvin, we're sorry," Dave mumbled, scratching his shiny black hair, "We all texted her as soon as you boys went out, but-"

"I really did it," Alvin cut him off, clasping his head in distress, "I really messed it all up. She's too embarrassed to even show up on stage with me now!"

"Alvin, I know my sister," Jeanette assured him, "I'm sure she's better than this. But it's still really confusing."

"Yeah, Alvin," Theodore added, "Maybe she broke down on the way here?"

"Not helping!" Alvin cried, slapping his hands over his eyes.

"Sorry!"

 _"Chipettes, five minutes till stage time; repeat, The Chipettes will be on in five,"_ the intercom blared out through the backstage. Everyone looked at each other at once, a glint of panic in their eyes.

"What will we do?" Jeanette squeaked, sitting down miserably. Simon put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it.

"Well, Jeanette, you're an amazing singer," Alvin tried, "Surely you can do the lead-"

"That's not what she means, Alvin," Simon interrupted flatly.

"We're the _three_ Chipettes, and we always have been," Eleanor said.

"We're not doing this without Brittany," Jeanette whispered, looking up at Alvin through her shining violet glasses, "I'm sorry."

"Alright, I get it," Alvin sighed, turning. He headed towards the stage door, but Theodore was quick to grab his hand.

"Wait, where are you going, Alvin?" Theodore asked.

"To break the news, I guess," Alvin replied, "I'll be right back."

"You don't have to do it alone," Simon offered, but Alvin waved him off with a sad grin.

"Yeah I do."

* * *

 _"Chipettes, Chipettes, Chipettes, Chipettes!"_

The crowd was chanting excitedly, waving little pink, purple, and green flags as the stage lights automatically changed to the signature colors of The Chipettes to prepare for the scheduled performance. They continued chanting and cheering for a few moments, gradually becoming quieter as they noticed nothing was changing. No lights switched on, no music started up, no introductions were announced. The cheering slowly turned into griping as they wondered what was taking their stars so long to appear.

All at once the pink, purple, and green decorative lights shut off. A single stage light came on, illuminating Alvin, alone, standing at the front. The crowd was silent as they waited for him to speak, hundreds of eyes staring right at him.

The chipmunk tapped his ear-mounted miniature headset, producing a muffled bumping noise throughout the auditorium. "Is this thing on?" he asked, with a nervous little laugh. Someone in the back threw him a thumbs-up.

"Right, well, uh..." Alvin stammered softly, "Well, where do I start..." He took a breath, feeling smaller than he already was.

"Do you know...how sometimes, things just...don't go right?"

Someone coughed.

"And, you know," Alvin continued, "How you can try so hard, and it just doesn't work? And you don't know why?"

"Do we get a show or what?" one annoyed audience member called out.

"Well, I..."

"Hey, look!"

Everyone was interrupted as the stage lights changed again. They turned bright white, swinging to the leftmost side of the stage and leaving the chipmunk in the shadows.

Alvin was speechless as Brittany strode towards him. He barely recognized her at first, but it was indeed the eldest chipette. As she drew closer, Alvin realized that she was wearing a dress with a curling skirt fashioned from the petals of tiger lilies, blazing orange with crisp yellow edges and speckles of black. Her chest was covered by a glittering white vest. Shockingly, Brittany's hair was down, flowing past her shoulders and tied at the end, a sight Alvin had never seen before, though her bangs retained her signature sassy curl.

"Uh, guys?" Simon whispered, poking his head from behind the stage door.

"Is that Brittany?" Theodore said with much admiration.

"I think so," Eleanor replied, "Wow, look at that dress!"

"So that's what she wanted the lily petals for," Jeanette added, "What's that girl up to?"

Brittany walked up to face Alvin, the spotlights following her until they washed both the small figures in sheer white light. He could see specks of glitter decorating her lashes and a tiny gold choker around her neck. The sight was so unexpected, so unusual, that Brittany might as well have been an angel.

"Br...Brit?" Alvin whispered. Brittany touched a finger to his lips.

"Shh," she snickered. In one fluid motion she stole Alvin's headset away and put it on. The chipette turned, walking a few paces back to the left, and faced Alvin once more. Sliding into a pose, Brittany put out one hand and did a come-hither motion towards Alvin and smiled. "Hit it," she whispered.

The lights flickered to an array of spicy orange and red colors as the tune of tango music swept forth from the speakers. Brittany's skillful voice followed:

 _"They say around the way you've asked for me;  
there's even talk about you wantin' me.  
I must admit that's what I wanna hear,  
but that's jus' talk until you take me there, oh!"_

Brittany, still singing, was spinning into Alvin's arms before the chipmunk could gather his thoughts. Her delicate hands took his and, in the blink of an eye, they were locked together in dance, feet sliding and twirling to the tune of tango.

 _"If it's true don't leave me all alone out here,  
Wonderin' if you're ever gonna take me there.  
Tell me what you're feelin' 'cause I need to know.  
Boy, you gotta let me know which way to go,  
'cause I need to know,  
I need to know!  
Tell me baby boy. 'cause I need to know!  
I need to know,  
I need to know!  
Tell me baby boy, 'cause I need to know."_

Alvin was no longer aware of the crowd watching the intimate performance in quiet awe. His world was held captive by the angelic chipette pressed to his side. The orange hues of Brittany's exotic fur stood out under the red lights like a painted sunset over the sparkling snow white of her vest. As she sang and swayed alongside the chipmunk, her narrowed eyes remained focused on Alvin's like fallen pieces of a cloudless summer sky.

Those eyes pierced him, held him, and dared him just like they had since the first day the Seville boy had met the girl known as Brittany Miller.

 _"My every thought is of this bein' true.  
It's gettin' harder not to think of you.  
Boy, I'm exactly where I wanna be;  
The only thing I need is you here with me, oh!"_

It wasn't just a song, it was a challenge. Alvin could barely feel his pounding heart as he matched Brittany's moves one to one, their movements becoming closer and more intimate as they went. Clasping the chipette's hand, Alvin put a hand on the small of her back and took charge of the dance.

Alvin and Brittany's footpaws shuffled alongside one another, their bushy tails swishing to and fro and their hips swayed and bucked in unison. There was no error or mischief. In this moment, locked together in dance, there was no crowd, no stage, no performance. There were only two beating hearts caught in a flame.

 _"If it's true don't leave me all alone out here,  
Wonderin' if you're ever gonna take me there.  
Tell me what you're feelin' 'cause I need to know.  
Boy, you gotta let me know which way to go,  
'cause I need to know,  
I need to know!  
Tell me baby boy. 'cause I need to knoooow!"_

The music faded but Brittany did not. She held the final note as she broke away from Alvin, kicking into a wild spin. Holding her voice steady, the chipette kicked out again and again, increasing the rate of her spin until she was a sheer blur of orange and white.

Brittany unclasped her vest and skirt in one fluid motion. Tiger lily petals scattered in every direction like embers from a flame. One petal landed on Alvin's head, blotting out his vision. He swept it away, and gasped at the sight that met him. Brittany had thrown off the white vest and lily skirt to reveal a silken red dress underneath, tied at her midriff by silver twine.

The chipette let out a small giggle as she nearly stumbled after the dizzying display, but Alvin was there, catching her before she could fall. Both Alvin and Brittany were motionless for a few moments in each other's arms, Brittany wearing a little smirk on her lips.

"What's the matter?" she whispered as the music faded away, "I thought you liked red?"

"I really like red," Alvin said dumbly.

"Oh good, because, uh, Alvin?"

"Hu...huh?"

"The answer is yes."

For only the second time in her life, Brittany kissed Alvin. The fur on the back of their necks bristled with energy and their hearts pounded until they were dizzy, but they held true. They embraced one another and kissed again, only parting when an abrupt cheer from the audience made them jump.

"Whoa, uh," Alvin snickered, turning slightly red, "I almost forgot they were there."

Brittany gave him a playful tap on the shoulder, her eyes glittering. "Time to make it official," she said with a smile. Holding out her hand, she produced the ring Alvin had given her. It glistened brilliantly under the stage lights.

Swallowing whatever leftover fears he had, Alvin took Brittany's left hand and gingerly slid the tiny, speckled piece of gold over her finger. He smiled at her, and she smiled back. Clasping his new mate's hand, he held it up for all to see, allowing a new wave of cheers to erupt from the crowd. Many of the younger women and girls were laughing and crying while the men hooted and applauded the new couple.

Brittany was smiling and waving when she noticed tears streaming down her own cheeks. She quickly turned away to hide them, but Alvin pulled her back around and kissed the chipette again before she could protest, the sweetness of the moment mingling with the salt of her joyful tears.

"I'm gonna faint," Eleanor murmured backstage, sitting down, "I need some water!"

"After all this time, he did it," Simon whispered to himself, crossing his arms. He smiled, stage lights flashing off the lenses of his glasses. "Good job, big brother. Great job, in fact."

Alvin was busy waving when an extremely giddy Theodore ran onstage and tackled both him and Brittany, hugging them both like there was no tomorrow.

"Guys, that was beautiful!" Theodore shouted excitedly.

"Ah! Help! Ribs!" Brittany squeaked, "Why is it always the ribs!?"

"Gah! You've been working out, Theo, jeeze!" Alvin laughed as he squirmed out of Theodore's embrace.

"You finally did it!" Theodore exclaimed, "After all this time! You were always talking about how much you hated Brittany but you totally didn't mean it-"

"Standing right here, Teddy," Brittany cut in, but Theodore was too hyper to notice.

"...and that you thought she was really pretty and talented and you said in your diary that-"

"It's a video journal!" Alvin cried, amidst laughter from the crowd.

"-that Brittany was so perfect for you and you wish you could be together and maybe even have lots and lots of babies and-"

"I never said that! Ever!"

Brittany promptly shoved a lily petal in Theodore's mouth to muffle him before he could go any further. Her face was the picture of awkwardness, her lips pulled back tight as she struggled in vain not to smile. To save Alvin further embarrassment, Brittany clicked her headset to the backstage speakers.

"Well, come on out! We're not done here yet!" she called out.

As Simon, Jeanette, and Eleanor scurried out to join the others on stage, Alvin stole back his headset from Brittany. She cocked an eyebrow at him as he readjusted it onto his head.

"My turn, baby," he winked, waving to signal the others to get ready.

"What'd you just call-" Brittany began.

"Hit it!"

Brittany squeaked as Alvin pulled her to his side, music once more flooding through the auditorium. All six chipmunks took a practiced formation as the song began, Alvin at the lead.

 _"Oh my love, let me be your fire,  
We're a thousand miles up and I'm 'bout to get higher,  
Feel my heart beating out my chest,  
You're the only prayer I need to make me feel blessed!_

 _Singing oh-ohhh! Oh-ohhh! Oh-ohhh!_  
 _Oh-oh!_  
 _Oh-ohhh! Oh-ohhh! Oh-ohhh!_  
 _Oh-oh!"_

Alvin and Brittany took center stage as the six chipmunks paired off with their partners. The two eldest were a whirlwind of red colors, hopping and sliding and stamping their feet to the beat in perfect unison. Brittany's eyes never left Alvin. She could see the admiration in his bright brown eyes every time he looked at her.

 _"Rest your head like it was made of stone,  
Next to mine, darling lay your bones,  
I hold you closer, let me show, oh-oh-oh-ohh!  
We'll shape this world like it was meant to be,  
Made of clay for only you and me,  
Awake with you is better than a dream,  
Better than a dream!"_

Simon and Jeanette were smiling and twirling together, Jeanette's star-speckled silver skirt spinning in a glittering blur. Despite her reputation as the clumsiest person around, Jeanette was a flexible dancer. With Simon's speed and watchful eyes, she knew she would never fall. As they clasped hands, their wedding rings twinkled in the light.

 _"Oh my love, let me be your fire,  
We're a thousand miles up and I'm 'bout to get higher,  
Feel my heart beating out my chest,  
You're the only prayer I need to make me feel blessed!"_

Theodore and Eleanor were the figures of energy. Hopping onto one foot, Eleanor spun on her heel as Theodore swung her by her shoulder, ribbons fluttering from her twin pigtails. Both chipmunks giggling under the sound of the music as they bumped their hips together and moved with a playful discord. While small, the couple was lively and spirited, an innocent bond like no other.

 _"Singing oh-ohhh! Oh-ohhh! Oh-ohhh,  
Oh oh!  
Oh-ohhh! Oh-ohhh! Oh-ohhh,  
Oh oh!"_

All at once, every chipmunk and chipette whipped twin color-coded sparklers out from behind his or her shoulder- all except Brittany, who had not been in on the performance plan, so Alvin handed her one of his.

The stage came alive with starfire, the red, blue, green, purple, and yellow sparklers hissing to life as Simon's little invention worked perfectly. Twirling and spinning like swordfighters, the chipmunks put on a dazzling display. They held hands and spun together, bringing the sparklers around in wide arcs.

 _"Safe and sound is all you'll ever know,  
Shake the ground, the higher that we go,  
We'll take the stars and show 'em how to glow-oh-oh-oh-oh-ohhh!  
Yeah, 'cause life is more than just a waiting game,  
And we're not waiting 'til it's time to play,  
The only rules I play by are you-oo-oo-oo-oo-oooo!  
Play by you-oo-oo-oo-oo-oooo!"_

The Chipmunks and Chipettes held their sparklers high as they began to sizzle out. The built-in tiny firecrackers inside popped all at once, sending a miniature fireworks display of scattering sparkles washing over the stage.

 _"Oh my love, let me be your fire,  
We're a thousand miles up and I'm 'bout to get higher,  
Feel my heart beating out my chest,  
You're the only prayer I need to make me feel blessed!_

 _Singing oh-ohhh! Oh-ohhh! Oh-ohhh!_  
 _Oh oh!_  
 _Oh-ohhh! Oh-ohhh! Oh-ohhh!_  
 _Oh oh!"_

Alvin, Simon, Theodore, Brittany, Jeanette, and Eleanor Seville were more than just performers, and they proved it that night. They were as much friends as they were family, loyal and trusting, any one to another.

As performers they were unmatched together, both singing and dancing in a dizzying harmony. There were many hard years of practice and experience behind every word and every move. This was their farewell, and it was one that would be remembered all their lives. The spirit of the six could be felt by every member of the awed audience.

 _"I won't be afraid,  
If my spirit fades,  
'Cause when I see your face,  
I know that I am saved!"_

The song moved into its last quarter, and all at once, The Chipmunks and The Chipettes joined voices...for the last time.

 _(All:)  
"I won't be afraid,  
If my spirit fades,  
'Cause when I see your face,  
(Alvin:)  
I'm saved."_

 _"Oh my love, let me be your fire,_  
 _We're a thousand miles up and I'm 'bout to get higher,_  
 _Feel my heart beating out my chest,_  
 _You're the only prayer I need to make me feel blessed, singing-"_

The group danced and formed a circle, then sprung off in mixed pairs. Theodore cut a cute and comical scene as he tried his best to dance along with the much taller Jeanette. Alvin and Eleanor struggled to keep pace with one another, as even the spunky chipette was no match for the chipmunk's speed. Meanwhile poor Simon was less dancing, more fighting to stay on his feet against Brittany's whirling movements.

These mixed pairs of eyes watched one another. There was no awkward feelings between any of them. Friends to the end, they were, every one of them.

 _Oh my love, let me be your fire,  
We're a thousand miles up and I'm 'bout to get higher,  
Feel my heart beating out my chest,  
You're the only prayer I need to make me feel blessed!_

In a second the dancers broke off again, mixing it up once more. Alvin slowed down especially for Jeanette, who surprised him with her flexibility and confidence, though he caught her stumbling a few times. Brittany giggled as Theodore tried his best to dance along with her; he was never out to impress, only to have fun. Simon and Eleanor spun round and round, the spunky chipette keeping up with everything the quick chipmunk had.

 _"Singing oh-ohhh! Oh-ohhh! Oh-ohhh!  
(You're the only prayer I need to make me feel blessed)  
Oh oh!  
Oh-ohhh! Oh-ohhh! Oh-ohhh!  
(You're the only prayer I need to make me feel blessed!)  
Oh oh!"_

All six chipmunks whirled together in a blur of color, trading hands, skidding on their feet, sweeping with their tails, swinging their hips, moving with one another in coordinated grace.

 _"Oh, oh oh oh, oh!  
(Oh, oh oh oh, oh!)  
Oh, oh oh oh, oh!  
(Oh, oh oh oh, oh!)  
You make me feel blessed,  
You make me feel blessed,  
(Alvin:)  
You're the only prayer I need to make me feel blessed!"_

The six chipmunks swung to a stop as the music came to an end, clasping hands with mates, friends, and siblings alike. Stage lights flashed out a finale of color and faded to a soft white, illuminating the breathless performers as they held their poses and gave the crowd tiny, gleaming smiles.

The audience was quiet. For a few moments, the chipmunks' smiles began to fade as they wondered what went wrong. All at once, however, the crowd burst into cheer with such enthusiasm that the chipmunks' ears laid back from the noise.

 _"Chipmunks, Chipettes! Chipmunks, Chipettes! Chipmunks, Chipettes!"_

Alvin, Simon, Theodore, Brittany, Jeanette, and Eleanor Seville all looked at one another with tears welling in their eyes. Grabbing the hands of their respective mates, they held them high, letting all five wedding rings gleam like starlight- excluding Alvin, who was yet to get one of his own.

Dave was the picture of a father victorious. He strode on stage with a slight limp that betrayed his age. As he approached, the chipmunks realized that he, too, was crying. All at once, the six leapt onto Dave, climbing up until three stood on each of his shoulders. They pumped their little fists in the air, shouting over the loudspeakers over the cheers of the crowd.

"Dave, Dave, Dave!"

Slowly the audience caught on, their chanting changing shape:

 _"Chipmunks! Chipettes! Dave, Dave, Dave! Chipmunks! Chipettes! Dave, Dave, Dave!"_

David was nearly toppled as his adopted children showered his face and neck with all assortments of hugs and kisses.

"We couldn't have done it without you, Dad," Alvin told him. David Seville, the struggling, gifted songwriter who had selflessly taken in the wild chipmunk boys in from his doorstep. He endured them, nurtured them, taught them, and protected them. Most of all, Dave loved them.

Alvin looked left, at Brittany, Jeanette, and Eleanor, orphaned girls who came from nowhere to turn the lives of the Seville chipmunks on their heads. Resilient, clever, spunky, and talented, they were the worthiest rivals The Chipmunks could have ever hoped for. Now, they were even more.

Alvin looked right, to his smiling and teary-eyed brothers. They had followed him from the womb, they had followed him into the unknown, onto the stage, and into the light. Through chaos and calamity, danger and heartbreak, they remained by his side. They were a team to the very end.

So ended the chapters of the musical groups known as The Chipmunks and The Chipettes. Their lives, however, had only just begun. The stories of Alvin, Brittany, Simon, Jeanette, Theodore, and Eleanor were far from over...


	5. Scene Five: Night

**Scene Five**

* * *

Alvin waited in his little car on the sidewalk as Brittany carefully climbed in over the door. It was originally a toy, redesigned by Simon to be a functional chipmunk-sized vehicle.

Brittany pulled her tail into a more comfortable position and brushed down her dress as she took her seat. She glanced over at Alvin, and he looked at her, sharing one of the few quiet gazes they'd ever had.

"Whatever happens next," the chipette murmured, "I'm with you."

"You're not going to go all squishy on me, are you?" Alvin quipped.

"Never," Brittany replied, "But don't make me regret this, Seville."

Alvin chuckled. "You're a Seville now, too, you know."

"...I am, aren't I? Oh no," Brittany joked.

Alvin laid his hand on hers.

"Are you ready to go home, Lilly?"

Brittany was taken aback by the sudden use of her old name, one that hadn't met her ears since she was nothing but a pup. Slowly, her fingers closed around Alvin's, and she looked at him again, not bothering to hide the few tears that welled in her eyes.

"Yeah, let's go home. But...don't call me that anymore. I'm Brittany now."

"You're always you, Brit," Alvin said with a smile and a wink, "Besides...Lillian, my Tiger Lily? That's kinda hot!"

Brittany slapped his hand away and fought back a laugh, looking away so she could hide a wide smile. "Dr-drive, Seville! Before I kick you out and make you walk!"

"Wait, am I sleeping on the couch already!?" Alvin exclaimed.

"Alvin!"

Laughing aloud, Alvin pressed the pedal and sent the little battery-powered hot rod speeding down the sidewalk, causing Brittany's stomach to flip. Slowly, the chipette sat up. The nighttime summer air was sweet and damp, pleasantly warm and refreshing as the chipmunks sped along in the topless car. A few sprinkles from the earlier rainstorm tickled their faces.

"So..." Brittany started casually, "How many?"

"Uh, how many what?" Alvin asked, baffled.

"Theodore's question," Brittany reminded him, "How many babies do you want?"

Alvin nearly swerved right off the curb as his heart skipped three beats.

"What!? Babies!? Where!?"

"Just a question, Alvin," Brittany snickered.

Alvin swallowed, deciding to turn the humor on her. "Oh, well, you know. Maybe five, six..."

"Five or six, that's all?" Brittany giggled.

"Could shoot for ten, Brit!"

"Only if you intend on having them for me, Alvin!" Brittany shot back. Smiling, Alvin and Brittany were quiet once more.

Brittany raised her chin and closed her eyes, genuinely happy as she allowed the breeze to ruffle her hair and fur. Smiling in admiration, Alvin watched the rippling of her tan and orange fur, her long hair waving freely behind her like a flag of victory. She noticed, and returned his gaze, watching the sparkle in his hazel eyes as yellow streetlights washed over them.

For the strangest reason, one word came to Brittany's mind. _Father._

Holding hands, the lifelong friends and mates ventured into the night. They ventured into the unknown, the future, to whatever adventures, journeys, hardships, and tragedies awaited them. There was no greater unknown than the future, and yet there was no greater way to face it than side by side with the people you love the most.

So continues the tale of Alvin Seville and Brittany Lillian Seville.

* * *

 **~The End~  
**

* * *

 **~R~**

* * *

 _Did you enjoy this adventure? Let me know in the reviews! Your feedback  
_ _is vital to my future improvements as a writer. :)_

 _ **TRIVIA:  
-** This story took around four months to complete. **  
-** This story was named as soon as I began work on it, months ago. Later on, as I_  
 _was looking into information on the animated movie, "The Chipmunk Adventure,"_  
 _I came across a stunning discovery: the creators, the Bagdasarians, had dedicated_  
 _the film to their beloved pet dog who had passed away shortly before production began._  
 _The dog's name? "Tiger Lily."_  
 _\- This story is part of the larger "Songs of the Hopeful" story, which documents_  
 _the adventures of Brittany and her sisters. It is my version of The Chipettes' origin story._

 _ **MUSIC:  
\- "Larger than Life" by The Backstreet Boys  
\- "I Need to Know" by Marc Anthony.  
\- "Oh My Love" by The Score  
(Available on "The Road Chip" OST)**_


End file.
